The Sound of Children's Laughter
by Angel Raye
Summary: Maggie questions eternal life. Pluto answers her questions.


Hi Everyone! Here is a new short story. Hopefully this will answer some questions that arose during "The Crystal Scouts" series. We'll get a glimpse into everyone's futures again.  
Just letting everyone know that Hope and Faith's part in the "Friendship Series" is underway but unfortunately I have hit Major Writer's Block with it. I really need some ideas so please send them to me.  
E-mail me with suggestions and feedback to AngelRaye2@aol.com.  
Also visit my web site at http://angelrayeschibiscouts.homestead.com/angelraye.html  
My web site is in the process of moving to another server. The new address will be www.angelfire.com/anime3/chibiscouts  
Captain Commando has set up a Chibi Scout message board at http://pub53.ezboard.com/bangelrayeschibiscouts. Please drop by and leave a message.  
Disclaimers: I do not own Sailor Moon. With the exception of Rini I own all the Chibi Scouts and their descendents.  
  
The Sound of Children's Laughter  
By  
Angel Raye  
  
Maggie was heading toward the Gates of Time to visit her mother. One day she would be joining her there. Part of her could not wait where the other part of her thought, "How boring." She really wondered how her mother could stay there for all eternity.  
Eternity! That was the word that crossed Maggie's mind a lot since she became Chibi Pluto. She knew she and her friends would live forever. She had also found out that there would be two more generations of soldiers after them. And all four generations would live for eternity. Maggie found that both fascinating and troubling.  
She entered through the portal and found Sailor Pluto standing at the Gates of Time. "Mom," she called.  
Sailor Pluto turned around. "Hi Darling," she replied as she held out her arms. Maggie ran right into them. Sailor Pluto hugged her daughter tightly. "You have something on your mind," she observed.  
"Yes I do," Maggie admitted.  
"Care to tell me," asked Pluto.  
"Well," Maggie murmured.  
"Come on," Pluto encouraged her. "What's a mother for?"  
"It's all this stuff about living eternally," Maggie stated. "Papa won't live forever and neither will the other knights. I know that our mothers will live forever and so will we. I also know that our children and grandchildren who will become Sailor Scouts will live forever. However everyone's husbands will die. What's the point of living for eternity if we have to watch people we love dying? I don't know if I want to have more than one child if the others are going to die. Also what about when our grandchildren grow up? Everyone is always saying that the children are what make life in the palace wonderful. When the children are all grown up there won't be any left. Do I really want to live forever?"  
"That is a hard question Darling," Pluto admitted. She gazed at her daughter. "I think you are old enough now to know some of the things I know but you have to promise not to reveal anything."  
"I promise Mom," Maggie replied. She turned her full attention on her mother.  
"Yes we will have to watch loved ones die," Pluto told her. "But we will all survive through the grief in different ways. Every one of the Sailor Scouts from this time with the exception of Uranus and Neptune will re-marry several times. They will have more children with their new husbands. True these children will not live for eternity but they will live on in their descendents. Family reunions will be held to keep in touch with generations. You girls will become Cosmic Scouts. There will also be many husbands and children for each of you. It will be the same thing for the other two generations of Sailor Soldiers. The palace will always be filled with the sound of children's laughter."  
"I see," Maggie said. "But wouldn't that be unfair to our daddies now?"  
"No," Pluto replied. "I have hinted to them that their wives will re-marry several times. It gave them comfort to know that the original Scouts will be able to move on with their lives. No one can expect them to live for eternity without finding other loves. Since all of the Scouts will live for eternity child-bearing will always be possible."  
"Even Aunt Hotaru," asked Maggie. "I'm told she almost died giving birth to Madelyn."  
"There will be many medical advances in the future to help Hotaru have successful pregnancies," Pluto told her. "And before you ask, yes Aunt Raye will have that certain procedure she had done a few years ago reversed." Pluto turned back to her daughter. "Did I answer your question for you?"  
"Yes Mom you did," Maggie replied as she gave her mother a hug. "Thank you. I promise to never tell anyone."  
"I know you won't," Pluto smiled. "Now I know you have homework to do so you'd better get to it."  
"I will," laughed Maggie. She headed toward the exit. "Good-bye and I love you."  
"I love you too Darling," Pluto replied. She watched as Maggie disappeared. Then she turned toward the Gate and focussed on her destination. She stepped through and found herself where she wanted to be. It was one hundred and thirty years into the future. The Crystal Scouts were all grown and starting their own families. The Elysian Scouts were enjoying becoming grandparents while tending to their aging husbands. But Pluto wanted to see the Cosmic Scouts and the original Scouts.  
Raye walked by with a teenage boy and a pre-school girl. "Come on Mom," the boy was saying. "It's just one grade."  
"You know how I feel about bad grades Yuuichiro," Raye told him. "I'm sorry but no going out this weekend."  
"Pick me up Mama," the little girl demanded.  
Raye smiled and picked the child up. "You getting tired Nori," she asked and the child nodded.  
"You always said no more after Annika," laughed Pluto.  
"I'm glad I changed my mind," Raye replied.  
Annika suddenly came up. Her stomach was bulging from pregnancy. "Just wanted to tell you that we will be over for dinner tonight."  
"Wonderful Darling," Raye smiled at her oldest child.  
Pluto smiled and left them to plan their evening together. It was wonderful that Raye and Annika still had such a special link between them.  
Mina and Lita walked by. Mina's stomach was sticking out too. "Gloria had to go to the school today," she was telling Lita. "Her son got into a fight. Now she knows what I went through with her."  
"And I know how she feels too," laughed Lita. "Still Daisy was worth it. I'm the glad that my other two are behaving in school now."  
"Well this is my first one since Gloria," Mina placed her hand on her belly. "I know it's another girl so we will just see how she turns out. Maybe she'll be like Tiffany. Now that was a sweet child to raise. But difficult too after what she had been through."  
"Daisy is pregnant with her tenth now," Lita sighed. "I think she should take a break."  
"So do I," Pluto thought. "But she will have many more." She kept walking and saw Amy and Ariel. Each of them had a toddler in her arms. "Aunt and nephew who are the same ages," Pluto mused. "Now that doesn't happen often." She smiled at the little five-year-old girl who was clutching Ariel's skirt trying to keep up with her mother and grandmother.  
"Come on Mama," a little boy of about ten was calling. "I don't want to miss the movie."  
"We have plenty of time Sochi," Hotaru called as she and a teenage girl came up. Madelyn was following behind. Her stomach was beginning to show her second trimester of pregnancy.  
Pluto saw Faith and Hope walking by talking with each other. Hope was engaged to a man. The wedding was still about a month away. Faith had just given birth to a son. Pluto knew that Haruka and Michiru were looking into adopting some more children. Faith and Hope were preparing statements to help them with the process.  
Pluto finally got to her destination. She quietly knocked on the door and entered. "Grandma," a small girl dashed over to her. Pluto smiled and knelt down. She pulled the child into her arms.  
"Hi Reiko," Pluto said.  
"Hi Mom," Maggie came up to her. The two women embraced. "You were so right Mom."  
"About what," asked Pluto.  
"This palace will always be filled with the sound of the children's laughter," Maggie replied.  
"Yes it will," Pluto smiled down at the little girl in her arms. "It always will."  
  
Short but sweet I know but I just wanted to help with the questions of how people will live for eternity. I hope you liked it.  



End file.
